He dreamed he was wearing a pointed alchemist’s hat and a red tie with green spots. He dreamed he was sitting at a desk. On the desk there was a black cat, an owl, a skull, and the round thing the statue of Copernicus is holding.*

And some large books. Big, fat, heavy volumes.

Because Kaytek once saw a large old book in a store front display – it had a yellow leather cover and a clasp that locked.

He went into the store to take a look and ask the price. But they refused to remove it from the display and show it to him.

“It’s very expensive. It’s not for you.”

His great-grandfather and grandfather must have had books like that.

Then Kaytek saw some mysterious books in a bookstore: the Egyptian Dream Book, the Kabbalah,** The Power of the Will, and The Divine Sorcerer.

That’s not interesting. It’s just to swindle money out of people. Just to bamboozle people.

What sort of an art would sorcery be if anyone could buy a book, read it, and know all about it?

He has to learn how to do clever spells. Sensible, useful ones – purposeful spells.

Otherwise what’s the point? All that trouble for so little effect.

They’d taken away his pocket knife. The watch had vanished and never showed up again.

Those two zlotys had almost made him into a thief: the teacher had given him such a nasty look, so mistrustful, so suspicious.

One time he had been to the movies using conjured-up money, but the picture was boring. It was a pity to leave before the end, so there he sat in the dark stinky auditorium, feeling pretty dumb.

Out of the whole sorry mess, the crayons are the only thing he has left.

From now on things are going to be different.

Maybe Kaytek shouldn’t wait a month, but a whole year. Maybe he’s even too young, and that’s why he doesn’t know what rights he has, what will work, or what will happen.

Last year the teacher told them to sow peas and beans, and then note down the changes that happened to the plants. Kaytek was impatient at having to wait a long time for each change to occur. Because he wanted shoots, buds, leaves, roots, and stems all at once.

After that he’d sown some just for himself. And it was nice to know ahead of time what would happen tomorrow.

In the same way he has to investigate and note down his spells. And not just the spells.

He buys a small diary.

He writes on it: Journal.

He makes a note: Tuesday. There was an arithmetic test. It went well. I did it.

He was one of the first to solve the problem. And without the help of a spell.

That way is actually nicer.

He makes another note: Saturday. I earned forty groshys.

It was like this:

Kaytek is walking through the market, and there’s a lady behind him with a basket.

“Please help me,” she asks. “Please carry it home for me, if you can manage.”

“Phooey,” boasts Kaytek. “I’ve carried bigger baskets than that before.”

But the basket is heavy.

He picks it up. And carries it. Soon his arms are going numb.

“Is it still far to go?”

“No. It’s just around the corner.”

Just around the corner or not, without the basket it might be near enough, but with a weight it’s a long way.

He stops. He shifts the basket from one arm to the other.

“Here, let me help,” says the lady.

“No need,” he mutters reluctantly.

He has often carried Grandma’s basket for her, and he’ll manage this time too.

At last they get there. He’s just about to leave – he thinks it was a regular favor. But the lady says: “Have some candy for your trouble.”

“No need,” says Kaytek.

“Then take this or I’ll be offended. You deserve it.